Device for preventing railway collisions.



PATEN-TED APRJZ, 1904 c. HOLTMANN & J, P. BUTLER. DEVICE FORPREVBNTINQRAILWAY GOLLISIONS.

APBLIMTL'QH. FILED MAR. s, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

MN Mil \SYMRE Q} WW $538M 35 AN. m u RW #035 .5 FQN Nav 7 NW N bx v k Nmm x H I N K ww uql EoSh w? i o Y QR v .M u 0 G Jmw mm WTT i b. T I E TUR Fm m N 4 Q h? r0. 157,191. PATENTED APfi.12,1904. c. HOLTMANN & J. P.BUTLER. DEVICE 'FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY GOLLISIONS.

APPLICATION I'ILEDIA R. 5, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

inc. 357,191.

U ITED STATES PATE T Patented April 12,1904.

* Fries,

CHARLES HOLTMANN AND JOSEPH F. BUTLER,'OF PITTSBURG, PENN- sYLvANIn.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY COLLISIONS- srno'lrrcn'non forming part ofLetters Patent No. 757,191, dated April 12, 1904.

Application filed March 5, 1908- Serial lio- 146318. (No model.)

To all [I'll/)7, it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES HoL'rMANN and JOSEPH F. BUTLER, citizens ofthe United States of America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Devices for Preventing Railway Collisions, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful iinprovements'inautomatic oleyices for operating air-brakes to prevent railwaycollision; and it consists in a device or apparatus, in connection withthe ordinary air-brakes, which will set the said brakes should twotrains enter one block at the same time and which will alsoautomatically operate the throtile to shut olf the strain simultaneouslywith the application of the brakes.

Briefly described, the invention comprises, in connection with a trackdivided into blocks, a con trolliugqnagmct suitably located on thecnginc and 'col'inectcd to the axles thereof, an cioclrically controllcdvalve in the air-line and coni'iocicd with an auxiliary pressurc cyl"inder having a piston therein to operate the tln'ottlc-lcvcr. Thiscylinder is in communication through a pipe with a second auxiliaryn'cssuro-i-yliudcr having a piston therein, the Sivm of which extendsinto a valve-casing in.

4UiIll-UililiCiiElHll with the air-supply and the train-dine and whichpiston-stem also controls the cxhausi', of the air to apply the brakes.

.ill of the above construction will be hereinafter inorc specificallydescribed, and then warticularly pointed out in the appended claims, andin describing the invention in detail reference will be hadto theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this application. and hereinlike numerals of reference will be employed fordesignating like partsthroughout thesevcral views, in which Figure 'l. is a diagrannnaticalview of our improved apparatus, showing parts thereof in section. 2 s anenlarged sectional view of the auxiiiar .'linder controlling thethrottle-valve. iii g. 3 1s a horizontal sectional view on the line :12w thereof. Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of theair-line valve, governor, and auxiliary pressure-controlling cylindertherefor. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal'sectionalw'iew of a modified form ofvalve for the air-line. Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view ofthe same.-

The insulated blocks or sections of track and the circuit thereof may,if desired, be the same as that shown in Patent No. 522,757,

granted July 10, 1894, to Charles Holtmann (one of the present jointinventors) and Nickolous' Schmidt, and the present invention is in manyrespects an improvement on the invention of the aforesaid patent; Thisprior invention aims to automatically apply the;

brakes in event of, two trains'occupying the same block, and wlnle thepresent invention has the same object in View it aims to alsoanton'iatically and simultaneously operate the throttle-lever, so as toshut ofi the steam. As in the prior patent, so in this,,to construct andoperate the invention the track is divided into blocks, the rails 1 1 12 2 2" being insulated, as at .3 3 3" 3 3 3, these insulated ends of therails at the respective ends of the blocks being so placed that the endsof the rails do not comeopposite to each other.

I Each of these blocks is provided With a trackbattery 4:, with one polethereof connected by a suitable conductor 5 to the rail 2 of one blockand the other pole of the battery connected by a suitable conductor 6 tothe rail 1 of the same block. We preferably employ both a track-battery4 and a local battery 4:, the track-battery 4: being in a closed circuitand employed only for the purpose of throwing the local battery intocircuit should a rail be broken 'or another train be in the block: Incase of a broken rail the closed circuit will be opened and the relayGdenergizedfihereby throwing in the local circuit, and in the case of atrain entering the block the saline effect will result byshort-circuiting of the battery, as will appear more fully hereinafterin the description of the circuit.

In connection with the ordinaryainbrake's now in use We employ means toautomatically I 5 f centrally inward from the end of the rod or ,stemfor some distance and opening'out at one set the brakes when a circuitis completed and also to automatically operate the throttle. To this endwe employ a-valve-casing 7, having acentra ividingpar tition 8, whichseparates the chamber of the easing into compartments or chambers 9 10,respectively. The chamber 10 is in communication with the air-supply(not shown) by means of a pipe 11, while the chamber 9 is in'communication with the train-line 12. The partition 8 is provided with aport 15, whereby communication isestabconsequently between theair-supply and the train-line. This port is closed during the lishedbetween the chambers 9 and 10, and

application of the brakes by means of a valve 16, carried on a stem orvalve-rod 17, thatis mounted to reciprocate in a plug 18, screwed intosaid valve-casing 7,-a suitable stuffing box or gland being providedaroundsaid stem or rod, as at 19, -.As the valve 16will be of muchgreater diameter than the stem or rod carrying the same, we provide thescrew-plu g,

"as shown and described, in order to permit the placing of the valve within thevalve-cas ing 7. The stem 17 has a port 20extending sidethereof, this port being closed when the part's'arein their normalposition by reason h portfbeing within thfev plug 18. The or'i-i'fodi'17 is connected, preferably, by a helped. fitting 21, as shown, to therod or stem 22 of the piston 23, which operates in 1 -2 theauxiliary.pressure-cylinder 24. A spring r 35 25 '7 on sai' rod or stembetween the wall of the cylinder and the piston holds the pistonnormally retracted and the valve 16 unseated! from its seat against thepartition 8 of 'the valve 7 [Attaohed'to the right-angular extending legof the T-fitting 21 is a governor,

, which comprises in its construction-a-casing' 26,

having ascrew-cap 28 on the outer end thereof.

This capcanries an inwardly e rtending plug- *collar 29, which fits theinterior wall of the casing 26 and is providedwith a central openingregistering with the central opening 27 in the screw-cap 28. The centralopening in the plug-' collar and the registering opening 27 in the capSareof larger diameter than the valvesten. that projects through saidopenings in order that the air'may escape through said openings aroundthe valve-stem. The plug-collar is for the purpose of engaging thespring 30, ar-

ranged on the stem 31 of the valve 31' to regulate the tensiojn' of saidspring, The tension of this valve in practice is less than the pressureof air in the train-line, whereby when commuhication is establishedthrough the port 20 with the governor the 'valve 31' will be un'-'seated and the air will escape through the openings in the plug-collarand screw-cap 28.

I "We preferably employ this T-shaped fitting for the connection thegovernor, as this enables ihsto turn the governor in any position as may'be required, owing to the conditions existing under the engine. Alsoconnected to the air-supply (not shown) or to' the pipe 11 is a pipe 32,which communicates with the chamber-33 of a valve-casing 34, the chamber35 of said valve-casing being in communication with a cylinder 36through pipe 37. The port in the partition separating these two chambersin the valve-casing is normallyclosed by a valve '38, having its stemconnected to the armature 39 of a pair of magnets 4:0, mounted on thevalve 34. The valve 38 is held normally seated by a-spring 38. Suitablylocated in the engine is a controliing magnet 41, 'conne ctedbyconductors as as to the axles 44 45 of the engine and tender,respectively, the said engine and tender being insulated one from'thetrolling-magnet 41. A trigger 53 is pivoted to this arm 52 and isncrmallyheld by a catch 5%, attached to 'the'core of the magnet 41, thiscatch being pivoted to an arm 55', carried by the frame of said' magnet,and to which arm and to the-free end of the catch 54 a spring 56 isattached. I

' The cylinder 36 has a piston 57 therein, the

rod 58 of which is adapted to actuate the throttle-valve lever-when thepiston is moved by the action of the air'. To accomplish this, the

. end of the piston rod or stem is connected to a yoke 59-,encircling-the throttle-lever 60 and connected to "the rod 61,whichjlocks said valve-lever in position. The yoke 59 is piv- 'oted orfulcrumed at 59' to the lever 60, on

which pivot or fulcrum it works when oper- 'ated. The outward movementof the-rod58 will first push thelonger leg of yoke 59,to-

raise the rod 61 and. unlock the throttle-lever:

ward the throttle-lever and cause the yoketo The further movement of rod.58 causes the rod to abut against the throttle-lever and pushes itover, so as to turn off the steam. In order that the brakes may beapplied simultaneously with the actuating of the throte tle-val-velever, air must be passed from the cylinder 36 to the cylinder 24, andto this end the cylinder 36 is provided in one wall with a port 62,communicating at its lower end with v ,the chamber of the cylinder 36below the piston 57 andat-its upper. end with'a chamber 63 in'a casing63", attached" to the top ofcylinder 36 and closed by a cap 64'.This-cas ing is mounted on a plate 64 on top of cylin der 36, and thisplate has a port-65 leading to a vvalveseat 66, normally closed by avalve communication between the port 65 and the cylinder 24. Vi epreferably provide flexible washers 71 72 on the valve 67 and stem 68,re spectively, both of which act as l'iuflers torelieve jar.

In operation, assuming a train to have entered the block, as shown inFig. 1, and moving toward the right, so long as no other train entersthis block no local circuitis established;

but if a train should enter the opposite end of the block at the sametime a circuit would be established as soonas the first pair of wheelspassed over insulation-point 3. 'Circuit is then made from local battery4- over conduo tor 5to the rail 2" through axle e5, switch 43, wire 43,relay 4C1, wire 42, axle 4C4, rail 1", wire 5 wire 5 ,'switch 6", andconductor or wire Shack to local battery 4. The energizing of magnet 41depresses catch 54L, allowing trigger 53 to fall into engagement withcon tact-point 50, thereby completing a circuit over conductors to 47through battery 48 to the magnets 4:9, energizing said magnets,

whereby to attract the armature 39, opening valve 38, and admitting airfrom pipe 32 into chamber 33 through the port in partition in the valve34: to chamber 35 and from chamber 35 through pipe 37 to auxiliarypressure-eylinder 36. The admission of air to this cylindeg 36 actuatesthe piston 57, causing the rod or stem 58 thereof to actuate the yoke59, so as to disengage 'rod 61 and permitthe rod or stem 58 in itsmovement to push against the throttlerlever 60, so as to operate thesame to shut off the steam. \V hen the piston 57 engages the end of thevalve-stem 68, it lifts the valve 67, thereby pern'zitting the air topass from the auxiliary pressure cylinder 36 through port into chamber63 and from said chamber through port through said port into pipe to thesecondary auxiliary prcsto close port 15.

sure-cylinder 2 t. The air entering this auxiliary pressurte-cylinder 24moves piston 23 forward, actuating stem or rod 22 and valvestem 17,forcing the latter inwardly into the valve-casing? and seating the valve16, so as This inward movement of the stem 17 and valve '16 establishescommunication between the chamber 9, communicating with the train-pipe12, and the port 20, thus permitting the air to escape from thetrain-pipe l2'through said port 2i), unseat the valve 31, and escapethrough the governor to apply the brakes. As soon as the excess pressurein/thc train-line is eithausted the spring 30 seats said valve 31,wheri-zby to prevent't'ur ther exhaust from the train-line. in order topermit the air to escape from behind the piston 23, and thus permit thevalve fl 5 to unseat, we provide a cock 73 on the cylinder 94.

In Figs. 5 and 6 we show a modified form of valve whichwe may employinstead of the valve 7. In this form of construction the governor isconnected direct to the plug-valve 7 4, which is mounted in the casing 75 and is provided with a transverse port 7 6 and a bypass or port 77.The valve-casing 75 is connected to the train-line l2 and air-supplyline 11. Connected to the upper end of the plug-valve 74E isa casing 79,having an exhaust-port and provided with a screw-cap 81. Mounted in thiscasing and operating in the screw-cap thereof is a valve 82, whichengagesthe seat on the upper end of the plug 7 4 and normally closes theby-pass or port 77, the valve being held normally seated by the spring83. Connectcd to thelowerend of the plug-valve 74is a crank 84,pivotally connected by the link to the piston-rod 22 of the piston 23.In Fig. 6 the plug-valve 7a is shown in position.,sothat the port 76 rristers with the air-supply line and train-line, and in Fig. 6 thisplug-valve is shown in position where to cut ofi" communication betweenthe air-supply line and the train-line and open communication from thetrain-line through pdrt 77 to unseat the valve 82 and exhaust the airthrough port 86 to ap-' ply the brakes. As soon as the pressure in thetrain-line over and above t e pressure of the spring 83 is exhaustedthis spring will seat the valve 82 and prevent further exhaust of theair from the train-line.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

l. lnlan apparatus for automatically controlling the' brakes of arailway-train and-actuating the throttle-valve lever, the combinationwith a track and a local circuit, of a con-.- trolli ng-magnet carriedby the engine, an electrically controlled valve in communication withtheair-supply, a throttle-actuating controlling-cylinder in communicationwith said valve and connected to the throttle-lever, a valve-casing incommunication with the airsupply and train line, a controlling-valve insaid casing, 'a secondary cylinder and a piston therein for actuatingsaid Valve, and a governor in communication with said valve-casing,substantially as described.

trolling the brakes of a railway-train and s multaneously operatingthethrottle-valve l 2. in an apparatusfor automatically c0nver, thecombination with a normally closed circuit magnet, of means carried, bythe engine and connected with the throttle-valve lever and electricallyoperated for actuat ng said lever, means also'carried by the engine andoperated by the air-pressure to exhaust the air and apply the brakes,and a local battery carried by the engine for establishing a circuit andpermitting said means to operate when the track-circuit is closed,substantially as described.

4- In an apparatus for automatically controlling the brakes of arailway-train and automatically actuating the throttle-valve lever toshut oif the steam, the combination with the controlling-lever for thethrottle-valve, a yoke pivoted thereto and adapted to release thelocking-dog of said lever, means operative through a track and localcircuits for actuating said ever through connection with the yoke, and

means also operative through said circuits for simultaneously applyingthe brakes with the actuating of the throttle valve lever, substan- 1tially as described;

5. "In an apparatus for simultaneously actuating the throttle-valve ofan engine to shut ofi' the steam and exhausting the air to apply I thebrakes automatically, the combination with the brake apparatus, of meansincluding a track-circuit, a local circuit and a controllinginagfiet, anair-cylinder, a piston therein with its rod orstemconnected to a yokepivoted to the throttle-lever and adapted to release the locking-dog ofthe same and connections between said cylinder and an air-supply for actuating the piston to operate the throttlevalve, and means incommunication with said air-cylinder whereby the brakes are appliedautomatically and simultaneously with the actuating of thethrottle-valve lever, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus for'automatically actuating the throttle-valveleveroi an engine to shut off the steam and exhaust the air to apply thebrakes, the combination with the brake apparatus, of brake actuatingmeans and throttle-lever-actuating means both operative through themedium of a normally closed, track-circuit including a magnet itsarmature and a contact-point the armature and contact-1 point beingincluded in a normally closed track-circuit, and a controlling-magnetmounted on the engine and adapted when energized to complete a circuitto cause the brake-actuating means and throttle-actuating means tooperate and respectively apply the brakes and shut oil the steam.

7. The herein-described means for simulta neously actuating thethrottle-valve lever of an engine to shut ofi" the steam and exhaust theair to apply the brakes, embodying a brakegovernor, a valve for normallyclosing the communication between the governor and the train-line ol'the brake apparatus, an air-cyl inder with a piston therein foractuating said valve, a second air-cylinder with a piston therein havingits stem pivotally connected to the throttle-valve lever, a valve-casingin communication with said second cylinder, and with an air-supply, anelectrically-controlled valve in said casing. connections between saidsecond cylinder and the brake-controlling cylinder, a controlling-magneton theengine, and means for completing a circuit through said magnet foractuating the electrically controlled valve in the valv'e casing toadmit air to said cylinders, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures

